Hello, friends! I’m absolutely thrilled to report a victory in the sleep department! After weeks of back pain, I finally managed to sleep on my side last night. I woke up a couple of times, but eventually drifted back to sleep and didn’t roll out of bed until around 8am. After my morning coffee and a physical therapy appointment, Dave wheeled me outside for a bit of sunshine, but it was so bright that even with my trusty sunflower umbrella, I had to retreat indoors.
Speaking of my sunflower umbrella, I realized I’ve never shared its origin story with you all. It’s a tale of friendship, sun sensitivity, and a touch of Mary Poppins-esque whimsy. This glorious shield against the sun’s fiery wrath was a gift from my dear friend Samantha, given to me early in my recovery.
See, Samantha knows that my skin basically bursts into flames if I spend too much time in direct sunlight. She also knows that I love nothing more than being outside, especially with my beloved Finnegan. So, being the amazing friend she is, she presented me with this sunflower umbrella. It’s not just for sun protection, though. Samantha also envisioned it as a safety measure in case I ever decided to jump off the roof, Mary Poppins style. You know, just in case!
Ever since, I’ve been a fixture in front of my house, sitting in plain view of the road with my sunflower umbrella, keeping the sun off my wheelchair-bound self. Dave often jokes that I’m known around town as “The Sunflower Umbrella Lady,” so it seemed like the perfect name for my little corner of the internet.
After my brief outdoor excursion, I ventured back outside around dinnertime. Unfortunately, the rest of the weekend was spent indoors due to rain on Saturday and extreme heat on Sunday. But Monday brought a glimmer of hope: my follow-up appointment with the surgeon. I was cautiously optimistic that I’d be putting weight on my left foot around the six-week mark, just two weeks away. I was less hopeful about the right, as I may have used it more than I should have, but I was eager to hear what the doctor had to say.
Of course, I woke up stupid early on Monday, my mind racing with anxieties about the appointment. We drove back to North Haven for this visit, but thankfully, future appointments will be closer to home with my orthopedist in Waterbury. The remaining stitches were removed, which were super tight and stung like heck upon removal. The verdict? Four more weeks of no weight-bearing, unfortunately. The good news is that I’m healing well, just not as quickly as I had hoped.
Adding insult to injury, we were still in the midst of a heat wave, so outdoor time was out of the question. I spent the rest of the day cooped up in the living room, trying to stay cool and entertained. Around 6pm, Dave generously gave me the couch so I could lay down while we watched a show. I was completely drained and fell asleep almost immediately, waking up at 8pm. Yikes! Still exhausted, I retreated to my cot a short while later and didn’t wake until around 6am.
Now, for a little bit of honesty: due to some ill-timed depression, I took a brief hiatus from writing after this installment. So, you can expect a small delay in the release of the next part of the story. Thank you for following my journey to date. I look forward to catching you up on all that happened during my hiatus. Until next time, stay sunny (or shaded, depending on your preference)!